News and Events http://www.tarheelchronicle.com//index.php Moving to Stokes County 1/7/2010 10:36:55 AM 01/07/2010
Moving Back to Stokes County

    My wife, Becky, and I are planning to build a house about 2 miles from Pilot Mountain, North Carolina.  Neither of us has been involved with anything like this for a number of years.  Intially, the prospect of such an endeavor was overwhelming.  At first, we tried to avoid going the building route.   We looked at existing houses for a couple of years but never found anything close to what we wanted. 
When we moved to Charlotte, we thought we had found a house that was just what we needed.  It had a great floor plan with the master bedroom on the main floor.  It was just in the edge of Cabarrus County with convenient shopping and easy access to Interstate 85. What we did not count on was the explosion of growth in the area where we chose to live.   We still enjoy living in that house and will continue to have a presence in Charlotte for some time to come.    
However, we have decided to move back to the area from whence we came. We have purchased two plus acres with a beautiful view of Pilot Mountain. My brother-in-law, Smith, told us about this property. When I drove to the property and saw it, I knew immediately that it was a place that I wanted to live. We purchased the property about two months later in November 2009.
Our new home is in the design phase now.    We are waiting on the designer/draftperson to send us the rough draft of our plans.   Becky and I were both  nervous about making a commitment to something that was a drawing on a piece of paper and not something we could actually see and touch.  However, we have overcome most of that fear and are excited about the plan we have created. 
The house is about 2700 Sq. Ft.  Most of the living area will be on the main floor. There will be bedrooms and baths on the second floor for our children and grandchildren when they come to visit. We will have a place for a garden and lots of grass to mow – something I am not too excited about.   But, that will be a small price to pay for the beauty of the area. 
Most of all, we are looking forward to getting closer to family and friends (Although, I will miss my sister and her family who lives in Charlotte).   I have always wanted to live in a larger city with the excitement of sports, fine arts, and a busy downtown area.  I still enjoy those things.  But, we feel it is time to start the next chapter in our lives. 
Stay tuned as we continue on this new adventure. 
 
 


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]]> http://www.tarheelchronicle.com/index.php?post=5 A New Decade 1/3/2010 11:42:33 AM  

01/01/2010
A New Decade
Time for a New Beginning
It always seems awkward using the New Year’s date on January 1st.   There is a feeling of melancholy, of time slipping away. However, I am excited about the new decade. The decade of the Os has been a time of tragedy and lost opportunity.   This new decade gives us a place to begin anew and rediscover the opportunities that we so blindly overlooked the last ten years.
There is no doubt that the terrorist’s attacks of September 11, 2001 were a catastrophe for the United States, especially, for those who lost loved ones. Thousands of lives were lost not only in the initial attacks but in the two wars that have followed. We have spent billions of dollars fighting those wars and much effort in trying to protect the homeland.   As a result, many of our freedoms have been taken away.   No longer can we fly without waiting in lines to be searched. And, no longer can we travel without a passport outside the US.    Moreover, it has taken away our freedom to feel safe.   All of this continues to take a toll on the United States economically and psychologically.
As with any desperate situation there is always opportunity to rise above it and make life better.   We have an opportunity to mobilize the country that we haven’t had since WWII. There is no reason that we cannot get everyone involved in helping to secure our homeland.   Remember “loose lips sink ships”? I believe terrorists can be profiled in a way that everyone should be looking for signs of those who intend to do us harm.   Further, with the right leadership, we could make great strides toward becoming energy self sufficient.  Energy independence could be used as a platform to bring a whole new industry to the forefront. That would benefit us in two ways: First by creating jobs and, secondly, by creating jobs that can’t be shipped overseas - jobs in mass transit, teaching, research and development, recycling, conservation, manufacturing, and new technologies.  At the same time we would be providing leadership with regard to global warming. 
How does all this keep us safer? First, it makes us all responsible for the safety of our country not just the politicians in Washington, soldiers on the ground, or police in local communities.   Secondly, it takes away leverage that the terrorists need to recruit followers. We will no longer be seen as propping up foreign governments in order to keep oil flowing to the west.   Moreover, the new opportunities created in education and the workplace would bring many out of despair that are now potential Al Qaeda recruits.
The “War on Terror” can be won if we all do our part.   But, first we must start taking responsibility by speaking out and discussing these issues among each other.   Next, we need to let our senators and congressmen know how we feel and hold them accountable. 
I am excited about this new decade. I hope you are too.
Happy New Year!


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]]> http://www.tarheelchronicle.com/index.php?post=4 New to the WEB 12/22/2009 12:33:21 PM The Tarheel Chronicle is dedicated to providing information about current events, travel, and human interests.   A large portion of what is found on web blogs today is politics, sports, and celebrity soap.   Hopefully, the articles that you find here will be interesting, thought provoking, and a little closer to home

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]]> http://www.tarheelchronicle.com/index.php?post=3 Vietnam Trip 2007 12/22/2009 11:17:31 AM
Front Gate to the former Phu Lam Signal Battalion


My visit to Vietnam in October 2007 was a momentous occasion for me.  It is documented at http://dananderson47.startlogic.com./id13.html.   The homepage does not work for some unknown reason.  However, it can't be fixed because the web host no longer provides the site builder software that I used to create the site.  Please pardon the inconvenience.  

I was stationed south of Saigon (now Ho Chi Minh City) at a site known as the Phu Lam Signal Battalion. My tour of duty was from February 21, 1967 to February 20, 1968.  Many of the experiences I had during this brief period of time helped shape me professionally, physically, and morally.  They continue to influence my life today. 

Vietnam is a beautiful place now.   I believe it reflects what can be done when people in a sovereign country are allowed to determine their own fate.  Moreover, I believe it demonstrates that economics is a more powerful tool than military force. 

For more on Phu Lam go to: www.phulam.com 

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